As the August 2 deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers are growing increasingly anxious about Luka Doncic’s looming contract decision. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Lakers are stuck in what he calls a “stress max” situation, the pivotal second max contract in a superstar’s career that often determines the trajectory of both the player and the franchise.
Doncic is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension, and the Lakers desperately want him to sign it. But if he doesn’t, over 10 teams with max cap space are expected to line up to lure the Slovenian sensation away from Los Angeles next summer. Windhorst explained the dynamics during his appearance on NBA Today:
“Well, there’s three max contracts that NBA players, superstars, can sign. One that’s worth 25% of the cap, 30%, and 35%. Depends on years of service.”
“The first one, I call the fun max, because almost everybody who’s offered it signs it. It’s no big deal. Then there’s the stress max. This happens when it’s a player’s second max contract. This is when players sometimes leave or are not really worth it. This is a stress max right now for Luka. The Lakers are a little bit stressed out about it.”
“Then there’s the legacy max. When you get the 35%, you’re home free. Everything’s going to be great. This is a stress max situation. So if he signs it, relief for the Lakers.”
“They can spend a little bit of time looking at their roster over the next two or three years, making decisions that are not based on what’s going to be best for us tomorrow. What are we going to present to Luka in 2026? We can think about what the team looks like in 2027, 2028, etc.”
“If he doesn’t sign it, he can be a free agent next summer when there’s going to be 10-plus teams with cap space. If he does not sign it, you will see teams begin to open up maneuvers to try to chase Luka.”
“And every day that will go by, when there’s any sort of wobble with the Lakers, you mentioned a losing streak, or if they’re in seventh place on December 5th or something like that, everything will be tied to the Luka contract, especially with LeBron on the last year of his contract as well.”
“So the Lakers don’t want that in their lives. They want the no-stress max. That’s what they’re going to try to present to him on August 2nd.”
The stakes are massive. If Luka signs the deal, the Lakers will have breathing room to construct a stable long-term core around him, without scrambling to sell the future just to keep him happy. But if he doesn’t? That opens the floodgates.
The Lakers can’t afford both LeBron James and Luka Doncic entering free agency within the same 12-month span. It would be catastrophic. Losing one superstar could be salvaged. Losing both? That could erase their title hopes for a decade or longer. The franchise, which just boasted one of the most iconic duos in NBA history, could spiral into irrelevance.
That’s why the front office has been ultra-conscious about maintaining cap flexibility for 2026, the year many believe they’ll target Luka’s ideal co-star. Already, speculation is rampant about who the Lakers could pair with Doncic. But all of that hinges on one thing: Luka staying.
Complicating matters further is the LeBron situation. There’s no guarantee he stays beyond this season, and trade rumors have been on fire lately. The Lakers are trying to build a bridge from the LeBron era to the Luka era without collapsing in between.
For now, the clock is ticking. If Doncic turns down the extension, a bidding war will ignite, with franchises from New York to San Antonio ready to clear cap space. And if that happens, the Lakers may find themselves in a nightmare, watching a generational talent walk out the door, leaving behind only what-ifs.
